Are electronic infrared detectors similar to the devices used in military applications?
Yes. In fact, much of the technological advances in mid-infrared detectors is the result of military research, and modifications by university-based and NASA scientists of use in astronomical applications. Like the night-vision goggles used in the military, astronomical IR detectors also measure heat but from very distant sources! At short infrared wavelengths, it is possible to build arrays of infrared detectors that can produce images much as a CCD yields optical light pictures. At longer infrared wavelengths, much of the detector advancements have had to be built by researchers from scratch. Astronomers are only beginning to construct small arrays of detectors at these long wavelengths, and the fabrication of these devices still requires the skills and patience of a craftsman. Where are the largest infrared telecopes The largest infrared telescopes are on Mauna Kea in Hawaii at an elevation of about 14,000 feet. It is well above much of the water vapor that absorbs infrared making i
